Thermal processing is a frequent occurrence in manufacturing. Often it is desirable that a manufacturing process occur at a constant temperature for a set or minimum period of time. Thermal insulation is typically placed around a heated object to attempt to maintain a specified temperature range everywhere on the object. If the object is composed of a variety of materials with different thermal properties, or if the object is comprised of complex geometrical features or varying thicknesses at different locations, heat loss of the object may be non-homogenous (e.g., some areas of the object may lose heat faster than others). For such thermal processing, and especially with complex objects and thermal profiles, feedback control systems are utilized, in which the temperature of the object is monitored, and the heat input to the system is increased or decreased in accordance with the temperature feedback data. However, such temperature monitoring can be difficult, impractical, and/or expensive. Further, special insulation designs must be developed to accommodate non-uniform heat loss. In some applications, insulation is customized for a given object, in order to evenly heat a body that would naturally heat unevenly. Such temperature monitoring and complex, customized insulation adds significantly to manufacturing costs in thermal processing techniques.